Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-10-07
STEPHERDSTOWN, VA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER I, 1887

"Aren't you going to fish, Arbuth-
not?" called out an exquisite youth,
who wore primrose and an eye-glass.
''It's no end of lark, 'pon honor! It's
such fun to see those stupid little things
wrigglep
"Is it, really?" said Arbuthnot, with
imrorturbable gravity, while the speaker
bee to dangle his absurd little line in
the water.
"Do you know what that makes me
think off," he continued, in a low tone,
which only Sybil heard. cit reminds
Inc of a definition which l once heard
given for fishing-rod-'a stick with a
worm at one end and fool at the
other"
Sybil broke out into merry laugh,
which made Evelyn turn around to see
what the fun was.
"Won't you try now?" said Mr.. Ar
buthnot. "Thsre are not very many
people at the table
Yes" said Evelyn, sweetly, "let us
Try now, by all means. Do you know,
Mr.. ArbuthnJt, there is to be a german
after the fishing, and we ladies have to
fish our partners out of yonder bowl"
GLOW momentous"' Arbuthnot eX-
claimed. 81 hope heaven may be kind
to me-"
Evelyn smiled at him, and Sybil, hav-
ing a sense of being in the way, moved
toward the table.
"Come, ladies'" cried the youth with
the eyeglass. "There are as good fish
in the sea as ever yet were caught"
ALLOW mew said Dick Trayers, a
brother of the hostess, to whom Sybil
had been presented, and she found her.
self in possession of one of the gilded
willow rods, which were gaily adorned
with bows of ribbon.
She cas-. in her line, and almost imme-
diately the others were casting along
side.
81 am fishing for you, Miss Weir, s"
said Dick boldly. 81 want good part
ner, and you look as though you danced
divinely."
81 am very fond of it," Sybil said,
modestly; "but [ don't know much
about the german. think | should be
almost afraid to try"
Evelyn frowned and bit her lips.
What fool the girl was!
"Why, Sybil" she said pettishly.
"You are fishing on my side. want
that little fat fish. Pm sure he's got
something nice in him"
"You are welcome to him, Pm sure, "
said Sybil, abandoning her game very
pleasantly. "Pd rather have that slim
little fellow. Perhaps he hasn't any
thing in him, and then l shall be allow
ed TO look on
"Aha?" cried Dick, whose skilled
hand had hooked up the first fish.
"What have we got here? No Il, Amy,
what is No. 17-gentleman's prize?
You dance with Miss Irwin" said
Mrs. Bayard, putting a box into her
brothers. hard.
Dick groaned.
Never mind, =" said Arbuthnot, laugh
ing. 1--WE are only going to have six
figures. Let us see what you have GOT
Dick produced very pretty leather
pocket-b book which they were all admir-
ing, when Miss Evelyn's cry of triumph
riveted attention on herself.
"Pve got him" she exclaimed, lift
ing the fat fish out of the water.
But great was her chagrin when she
found that it contained no prize at all,
and the name of somebody whom she
did rot like.
"Pm afraid shall not catch anybody"
said Sybil, who found it quite difficult.
"You don't go at it right, said Dick.
drop your hook down deep, and then
bring it slowly up-thls way. Try the
little fellow over there. That's right.
Gently now. There-aha. What did |
tell you? That was we'll done, wasn't
it, Ainsley?"
Excellent" said Ainsley. "Open
him-do. am consumed with curiosi
ty."
Sybil obeyed, laughingly, expecting
nothing.
"By Jove :" Dick cried, ashes hooked
the gold ring"
Sure enough, inside of the slim little
fsh lay the shining band which every
one coveted.
at is like the Arabian Nights" she
said in astonishment. "HOw pretty ii
is"' And see this French motto inside
Marian femme, 7 anne portrait"
"That means you will be married in a
year." said Arbuthnot, smiling into her
shy, little flushed face.
81 don't think that's likely" Sybil re-
piled. But never dreamed of getting
the ring. wonder how | ever happen
ed to-"
There is no great mystery, as l can
see, ;" said Evelyn, with disagreeable
laugh. "A brother of Mrs. Bayard's
ought to be able to prompt one effective
ly."
"Miss Ogden,'' said Dick quickly, 81
hope that you do not think that | knew
where the ring was"
"Oh, of course not, )" was the sarcastic
rejoinder. "Ah, Captain Clyde, is this
you? The music is playing. / suppose
we may as well 20 iuto the ballroom"